Cowboys Country

Defense, Field Goals Help Cowboys To 15-3 Halftime Lead Over Giants

The Cowboys looks to strengthen their stranglehold on the NFC East on Sunday

Timm Hamm

The 9-4 Dallas Cowboys entered Sunday's game against the 4-9 New York Giants in the Meadowlands with a three-game lead for the NFC East title over the 6-7 Washington Football Team with just four to play.

But they did have questions on offense.

Dallas made moves this week in an attempt to improve the play along the offensive line while Tyron Smith is out with an ankle injury that might improve the constantly-vanishing running game, and improve the recent below-average play of quarterback Dak Prescott.

Perhaps the return of two offensive weapons in running back Tony Pollard and wideout Cedrick Wilson will help Prescott and the Cowboys, who have scored just one touchdown in their last 19 possessions.

Dallas faces a familiar face across the line of scrimmage as former Cowboys linebacker Jaylon Smith was signed by New York this past week, but is expected to play a very 'specific role' against Dallas.

Meanwhile, the Giants are just looking for anything good to happen, as they're without starting quarterback Daniel Jones for the third straight game while backup Mike Glennon once again gets the nod under center. 

The Cowboys won the toss and elected to take the ball first.

Penalties hurt Dallas and stalled its opening possession as a 10-play, 45-yard drive ended at the Giants 41 with a Bryan Anger 32-yard punt.

But the Cowboys' ball-hawking defense struck again as Jourdan Lewis intercepted Glennon after the ball was tipped at the line of scrimmage and returned the ball 18 yards to the Giants 13.

Ezekiel Elliott ran 13 yards up the middle to the end zone on the Cowboys' second play after the turnover to put Dallas up 6-0 after a missed Greg Zuerlein field goal.

The Giants found the scoreboard on their next possession on a Graham Gano 35-yard field goal ending an 11-play, 58-yard drive as New York inched closer at 6-3 with 37 seconds left in the first quarter.

Dallas added to its lead early in the second quarter on a 26-yard Zuerlein field goal after a 10-play, 58-yard drive that put the Cowboys up 9-3 and took 5:07 off the clock. 

Late in the half, after the two-minute warning, the Giants sacked Prescott for 12 yards on a third-and-4 that set up another Zuerlein field goal, this time from 42 yards with just 1:39 remaining that gave Dallas a 12-3 lead.

On the Giants' next drive, DeMarcus Lawrence punched the ball away from Saquon Barkley (just the third fumble of Barkley's career, and the first one lost) and Carlos Watkins recovered at the New York 46 with 41 seconds left in the half.

The Cowboys converted that turnover into another three points as Zuerlein was good from 27 yards to end the half and give Dallas a 15-3 lead.

The Cowboys have 9 points off two Giants turnovers.

Dallas is establishing some confidence in the running game with 101 combined yards on 17 carries between Elliott and Pollard in the first half while Prescott is 13-of-18 for 95 yards through the air.

The Giants will receive the second-half kickoff.

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Timm Hamm
TIMM HAMM

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